Oral care system and method

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care system that includes a toothbrush; a programmable processor configured to receive oral characteristic data indicative of an oral characteristic of a user; and determine for the user, based at least in part on the oral characteristic data, at least one of a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushing session.

BACKGROUND

To improve oral care, an oral care system may provide a suggestedbrushing routine. In other approaches, an oral care system may utilizeone or more sensors to evaluate the effectiveness of a brushing session.These approaches for improving oral care, however, do not consider thatdifferent users may have different oral characteristics. For example, auser may have oral sensitivity in a certain area of the mouth thataffects the user's ability to brush teeth in this area. There is needfor a method of determining a brushing routine and/or evaluating abrushing session that considers each user's unique oral characteristics.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure may be directed, in one aspect, to an oral caresystem including a toothbrush; a programmable processor configured toreceive oral characteristic data indicative of an oral characteristic ofa user; and determine for the user, based at least in part on the oralcharacteristic data, at least one of a suggested brushing routine and abrushing evaluation for a brushing session.

In another aspect, an oral care method includes receiving, by aprogrammable processor, oral characteristic data indicative of an oralcharacteristic of a user; and determining for the user, by theprogrammable processor, based at least in part on the oralcharacteristic data, at least one of a suggested brushing routine and abrushing evaluation for a brushing session.

In yet another aspect, an oral care system includes a toothbrush; and adata processing unit comprising a user interface configured to receivean oral characteristic from a user; and a programmable processorconfigured to receive oral characteristic data indicative of the oralcharacteristic received by the user interface; determine for the user,based at least in part on the oral characteristic data, a suggestedbrushing routine; and determine for the user, based at least in part onthe oral characteristic data, a brushing evaluation for a brushingsession.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe exemplary embodiments, will be better understood when read inconjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood,however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown in the following figures:

FIG. 1A illustrates an oral care system according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 1B is a schematic of the electronic circuitry of the dataprocessing unit of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process for determining a brushingroutine and a brushing evaluation based on oral characteristic dataaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A illustrates a data processing unit having a user interfaceproviding a question and answer options regarding an oral characteristicaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B illustrates a data processing unit having a user interfaceproviding a statement and response options regarding an oralcharacteristic according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a toothbrush comprising a user interface according toanother embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a data processing unit having a user interface thatprovides brushing instructions for a brushing routine according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a data processing unit having a user interface thatprovides an evaluation of a brushing session of a user according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates an electronic toothbrush according to an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a partial sectional view of a toothbrush havingelectronic circuitry for collecting brushing session data according toan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic of the electronic circuitry of the toothbrush ofFIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates a toothbrush dongle having electronic circuitry forcollecting brushing session data according to an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention orinventions. The description of illustrative embodiments is intended tobe read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to beconsidered part of the entire written description. In the description ofthe exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, any reference to directionor orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and isnot intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention.Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”“above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,”“front” and “rear” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,”“downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to theorientation as then described or as shown in the drawing underdiscussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description onlyand do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in aparticular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms suchas “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,”“secured” and other similar terms refer to a relationship whereinstructures are secured or attached to one another either directly orindirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable orrigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly describedotherwise. The discussion herein describes and illustrates some possiblenon-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in othercombinations of features. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” isto be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true wheneverone or more of its operands are true. Furthermore, as used herein, thephrase “based on” is to be interpreted as meaning “based at least inpart on,” and therefore is not limited to an interpretation of “basedentirely on.”

Features of the present invention may be implemented in software,hardware, firmware, or combinations thereof. The computer programsdescribed herein are not limited to any particular embodiment, and maybe implemented in an operating system, application program, foregroundor background processes, driver, or any combination thereof. Thecomputer programs may be executed on a single computer or serverprocessor or multiple computer or server processors.

Processors described herein may be any central processing unit (CPU),microprocessor, micro-controller, computational, or programmable deviceor circuit configured for executing computer program instructions (e.g.,code). Various processors may be embodied in computer and/or serverhardware of any suitable type (e.g., desktop, laptop, notebook, tablets,cellular phones, etc.) and may include all the usual ancillarycomponents necessary to form a functional data processing deviceincluding without limitation a bus, software and data storage such asvolatile and non-volatile memory, input/output devices, graphical userinterfaces (GUIs), removable data storage, and wired and/or wirelesscommunication interface devices including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LAN, etc.

Computer-executable instructions or programs (e.g., software or code)and data described herein may be programmed into and tangibly embodiedin a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is accessible to andretrievable by a respective processor as described herein whichconfigures and directs the processor to perform the desired functionsand processes by executing the instructions encoded in the medium. Adevice embodying a programmable processor configured to suchnon-transitory computer-executable instructions or programs may bereferred to as a “programmable device”, or “device”, and multipleprogrammable devices in mutual communication may be referred to as a“programmable system.” It should be noted that non-transitory“computer-readable medium” as described herein may include, withoutlimitation, any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory includingrandom access memory (RAM) and various types thereof, read-only memory(ROM) and various types thereof, USB flash memory, and magnetic oroptical data storage devices (e.g., internal/external hard disks, floppydiscs, magnetic tape CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, optical disk, ZIP™ drive, Blu-raydisk, and others), which may be written to and/or read by a processoroperably connected to the medium.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may be embodied in theform of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses such asprocessor-based data processing and communication systems or computersystems for practicing those processes. The present invention may alsobe embodied in the form of software or computer program code embodied ina non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which when loadedinto and executed by the data processing and communications systems orcomputer systems, the computer program code segments configure theprocessor to create specific logic circuits configured for implementingthe processes.

Turning in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1A illustrates an oral caresystem 101 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The oral care system 101 includes a toothbrush 103 and a data processingunit 105. The data processing unit 105 may communicate with a server107, for example, for purposes of storing larger amounts of data or toprovide server-side processing functionality. The presence of the server107 and communication between the data processing unit 105 and theserver 107, however, are not limiting of the present invention, unlessspecifically set forth in a claim.

The toothbrush 103 may be of any type that includes teeth cleaningelements suitable for cleaning teeth, and therefore is not limited tothe toothbrush 103 illustrated as part of the exemplary embodiment. Thetoothbrush 103 shown in FIG. 1A generally includes a handle 111, a neck113, and a head 115. The neck 113 extends between the handle 111 and thehead 115 and connects the head 115 to the handle 111. The handle 111provides the user with a mechanism by which the toothbrush 103 can bereadily gripped and manipulated during a brushing session. The handle111 may be formed of many different shapes, sizes and materials and maybe formed by a variety of manufacturing methods that are well-known tothose skilled in the art. The handle 111 extends from a proximal end 117to a distal end 119 to form an elongated gripping portion 123therebetween. The handle 111 transitions into the neck 113 at the distalend 119. While the neck 113 generally has a smaller transversecross-sectional area than the handle 111, the invention is not solimited. Broadly speaking, the neck 113 forms a transition regionbetween the handle 111 and the head 115, with the head 115 extendingfrom a proximal end 125 at the end of the neck 113 opposite the handle111 to a distal end 127. While the head 115 is normally widened relativeto the neck 113, in some embodiments the head 115 can simply be acontinuous extension or narrowing of the neck 113 and/or handle 111.

The handle 111, the neck 113, and the head 115 may be formed as separatecomponents which are operably connected at a later stage of themanufacturing process by any suitable technique known in the art,including without limitation thermal or ultrasonic welding, a tight-fitassembly, a coupling sleeve, threaded engagement, adhesion, orfasteners. However, in other embodiments, the handle 111, the neck 113,and the head 115 of the toothbrush 103 may be formed as a single unitarystructure using a molding, milling, machining, or other suitableprocess. In certain embodiments, the neck 113 may be made from amaterial which is more flexible than the handle 111 or the head 115, andin such embodiments, the flexibility of the neck 113 provides the head115 with mobility with respect to the handle 111. Whether the handle111, the neck 113, and the head 115 are of a unitary or multi-piececonstruction (including connection techniques) is not limiting of thepresent invention, unless specifically set forth in a claim. In someembodiments of the invention, the head 115 can have a first portion thatis flexibly attached to a second portion of the head 115. Duringbrushing, the first portion can move with respect to the second portionto enhance the brush head's ability to reach certain portions of thedentiture of the user (the dentiture being understood as the user's setof teeth). In some embodiments of the invention, the head 115 may bedetachable (and replaceable) from the handle 111 and/or from the neck113 using techniques known in the art.

The head 115 generally includes a front surface 143, a rear surface 145and peripheral side surfaces 147 that extend between the front and rearsurfaces 143, 145. The front surface 143 and the rear surface 145 of thehead 115 can take on a wide variety of shapes and contours, none ofwhich are limiting of the present invention. For example, the front andrear surfaces 143, 145 can be planar, contoured or combinations thereof.

The front surface 143 of the head 115 includes at least one teethcleaning element, shown in the exemplary embodiment as a plurality ofbristles 149, extending therefrom for cleaning teeth surfaces. As usedherein, the term “teeth cleaning element” is used in a generic sense torefer to any structure that can be used to clean or polish the teeththrough relative surface contact. In certain embodiments, the head 115may include a single teeth cleaning element, and in other embodiments,the head 115 may include two or more teeth cleaning elements. Commonexamples of the at least one teeth cleaning element include, withoutlimitation, bristle tufts, filament bristles, fiber bristles, nylonbristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomeric protrusions,flexible polymer protrusions, combinations thereof and/or structurescontaining such materials or combinations. Suitable elastomericmaterials include any biocompatible resilient material suitable for usesin an oral hygiene apparatus. To provide optimum comfort as well ascleaning benefits, the at least one teeth cleaning element may be anelastomeric material having a hardness property in the range of A8 toA25 Shore hardness. Other materials within and outside the notedhardness range may also be used.

The bristles 149 of the toothbrush 111 can be connected to the head 115in any manner known in the art. For example, staples/anchors, in-moldtufting (IMT) or anchor free tufting (AFT) could be used to mount thebristles 149 of the exemplary embodiment. In AFT, a plate or membrane issecured to the brush head such as by ultrasonic welding. The bristlesextend through the plate or membrane. The free ends of the bristles onone side of the plate or membrane perform the cleaning function. Theends of the bristles on the other side of the plate or membrane aremelted together by heat to be anchored in place. Alternatively, thebristles may be mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending throughsuitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristlesare mounted within or below the tuft blocks.

Referring to both FIGS. 1A and 1B, the data processing unit 105 includesa housing 163 and electronic circuitry 165, with the housing 163enclosing and/or supporting the various components of the electroniccircuitry 165. The electronic circuitry 165 includes a power source,shown as a battery 167 in the exemplary embodiment. The invention is notso limited, and other types of power sources may be used. The electroniccircuitry 165 of the data processing unit 105 also includes a processor169 communicably coupled to a memory 171, a communication module 173,and a user interface 175.

In certain embodiments, the electronic circuitry 165 may include othercomponents, such as a speaker to provide audible feedback to the user,one or more buttons to receive input from the user, and one or moreports for making a wired connection between the electronic circuitry 165and other circuitry external to the data processing unit 105. In certainother embodiments, the data processing unit 105 may be a smartphone, atablet computer, a laptop computer, and the like, although the inventionis not so limiting. In the exemplified embodiment, the electroniccircuitry 165 is located within housing 163 of the data processing unit105, this housing 163 being separate and distinct from the housing 103Aof the toothbrush 103 In other embodiments, such as that discussed belowwith respect to FIG. 4, the electronic circuitry 165 or certaincomponents thereof may be located within the housing 103A of thetoothbrush 103.

The memory 171 may be any appropriate type of memory or storage whichenables the processor 169 to perform the desired programming, such asvolatile and/or non-volatile random access memory. The particular typeof storage used for the memory 171 is not to be limiting of theinvention.

In the exemplified embodiment, the user interface 175 is atouch-sensitive display which accepts input from the user directly onthe display surface. The display may be any type of light emittingdisplay, and as shown in the exemplary embodiment, the display may be anLED panel. In certain other embodiments, the display may be an LCDpanel, an OLED panel, or any other type of display which iselectronically controllable by the programmable processor 169 to providevisual feedback to the user. As will be discussed below, the userinterface is not limited to the exemplary embodiment, but can compriseany device or method by which a user interacts with the data processingunit or a programmable processor. For example, in other embodiments theuser interface can utilize a non-touch-sensitive graphical userinterface, buttons, a dial, a keyboard, and/or a mouse. In otherembodiments, a user interface can be omitted. For example, instead ofreceiving an oral characteristic by a user interface, oralcharacteristic data can be received from, or based on, data from asensor that forms part of a brush.

The communication module 173 may include an antenna 181 to enablewireless transmission of communication signals. The communication module173 may be configured and/or programmed to communicate using a wirelesstechnology standard such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and the like, or it maycommunicate using any type of proprietary wireless transmissionprotocol. The mode of communication for which the communication module173 is configured is not limiting of the invention unless specificallyset forth in a claim. In certain embodiments, the communication module173 may include a port to enable communications using wires and wiredprotocols, such as USB and the like.

The communication module 173 of the data processing unit 105 may beconfigured and/or programmed to communicate with the server 107. Thecommunication module 173 may communicate with the server 107 over anycombination of public and/or private network, and the communications maybe wired, wireless, or a combination of the two. In certain embodiments,the communication module 173 may communicate with the server 107 overthe Internet using one or more types of communication protocols. Incertain embodiments, the server 107 may be programmed with one or moreapplication programming interfaces (APIs) which provides server-sidefunctionality to the data processing unit 105. The communication module173 may also be configured to communicate with the toothbrush 103, forexample, in the receipt from the toothbrush 103 of data related to abrushing session.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process 200 for determining a brushingroutine and a brushing evaluation from an oral characteristic accordingto an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the exemplifiedprocess 200 may be implemented as programming for the programmableprocessor 169 of the data processing unit 105. For convenience, as partof the description below, reference will also be made to the hardwarecomponents of the data processing unit 105 discussed above in FIG. 1B,and means for obtaining brushing session data discussed with respect toFIGS. 8-10. While in the exemplified embodiment the processor 169 andother electronic circuitry 165 form part of the data processing unit,the disclosure is not so limited. For example, in other embodiments, aprocessor forming part of the toothbrush can carry out the steps carriedout by processor 169 in the embodiments discussed herein.

In a first operation, the programmable processor 169 receives oralcharacteristic data indicative of an oral characteristic of a user(operation 202). An “oral characteristic” can refer to any quality ortrait of or affecting a user's oral cavity. Such oral characteristicscan include, but are not limited to, an oral sensitivity (e.g., of theteeth, gums, or another part of the mouth), an abnormality of thedentiture (e.g., a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, an extra tooth), thepresence or absence of wisdom teeth, a receding gum line, a toothstructure that traps (or tends to trap) plaque, plaque present at afirst portion of the dentiture, a cavity, an erosion of one or moreteeth, an oral injury or procedure (e.g., a recent tooth removal), atype of bacteria present in the mouth (including excessive bacteria or aharmful bacteria), and any indicator (physical, chemical, or otherwise)of a disease or malady (e.g., oral cancer).

“Oral characteristic data” can refer to any type of informationindicative of an oral characteristic of a user, including informationextracted or derived from other information or data indicative of anoral characteristic, regardless of the form of the extractedinformation, and combinations thereof. The oral characteristic data maybe in the form of mathematical data, analog data, and/or digital data.For example, the oral characteristic data can be data obtained from auser interface, data obtained from a sensor, or data derived from one orboth of the foregoing.

In certain embodiments, the oral characteristic is input at a userinterface of a data processing unit. The data processing unit thengenerates oral characteristic data indicative of the chosen oralcharacteristic, which is then transmitted to a programmable processor.The receipt of oral characteristic data from a user interface isdiscussed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

In certain other embodiments, the oral characteristic data can begenerated using a sensor operably coupled to a programmable processor.The sensor can be any device or subsystem configured to detect an oralcharacteristic (or evidence of an oral characteristic) and generate oralcharacteristic data. For example, the sensor can be an accelerometer, agyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, an optical imagingsubsystem, and an oral malady detection subsystem. In some embodiments,the sensor can form part of the toothbrush (e.g., an accelerometerlocated on a head of the toothbrush to detect motion of the brush head).In other embodiments, the sensor can form part of a separate device,such as a data processing unit (e.g., a camera on the phone that cancarry out optical imaging to detect a receding gum line or a cavity).

For example, FIG. 8-10 discuss a toothbrush 351 having electroniccircuitry for collecting brushing session data. As is discussed in moredetail below, the one or more sensors 355 can be, for example, anaccelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or pressure sensor. The brushingsession data that is detected by the sensor may include data regarding,for example, a toothbrush's position, motion, acceleration, frequency,and/or pressure against the surface of the teeth. The brushing sessiondata can be indicative of numerous issues, such as avoidance of aportion of the dentiture (indicating, for example, an oral sensitivity),excessive brushing (indicating for example, a tooth structure that trapsplaque or food), a unique brushing motion (indicating for example, ahidden, crooked, or missing tooth), or the presence or absence of achemical (indicating, for example, a high bacteria content in the user'smouth).

In one embodiment, the sensors generate brushing session data indicativeof brushing motion, location, and/or pressure. This data is then used todetermine that the user is avoiding brushing a certain portion of thedentiture, or using only minimal pressure. This avoidance can indicatean oral sensitivity at or adjacent to that portion of the dentiture. Toconfirm, a user interface, upon receiving such brushing session data,can provide the user a question such as “Do you have oral sensitivity inthe region indicated below,” with an image of the user's dentiture andan indication of the avoided portion.

In another embodiment, excessive brushing of a certain portion of thedentiture can indicate a tooth structure that traps plaque or food, suchas molars that tend to cause cavities, or a crooked or hidden tooth(i.e., a tooth behind another tooth and difficult to access). If thebrushing session data indicates excessive brushing of a certain portion,the user interface can query the user to determine or confirm thereason.

In another embodiment, the sensor can determine that the user is using aunique brushing motion for a portion of the dentiture. The userinterface can query the user as to whether this motion is being carriedout to clean a unique oral characteristic, such as a hidden, crooked, ormissing tooth, a gap in the teeth, or another unique property of theuser's dentiture. For example, a user may use a unique, verticalbrushing motion to brush a hidden tooth, or may not move the brush asdeeply into the oral cavity because of missing wisdom teeth or molars.

In another embodiment, the sensor can be an oral malady detectionsubsystem. For example, a subsystem could use chemistry to determine thepresence of an abnormal property, such as high bacteria content in auser's saliva. Other properties could be indicative of a cavity, plaque,bad breath, or cancer, or another oral disease or malady.

In another embodiment, the sensor can be an optical imaging subsystemthat can identify a unique oral characteristic, such as receding gumline in a certain area, a missing or crooked tooth, an extra tooth, or acavity. For example, an imaging system can distinguish the white of atooth and the pink of gums to determine a length of a gum line andwhether there is an abnormality. An imaging system could similarly beused to identify a developing cavity and thus an area that warrantedmore brushing attention, or tooth erosion from tooth grinding that cancause sensitivity. The subsystem can utilize the technology of a dataprocessing unit providing a user interface (such as the camera andprocessor of a smartphone), or another, separate device.

It is noted that, in some of the embodiments discussed above, the useris queried to confirm that the suspected oral characteristic is present.In other embodiments, this step can be omitted. Further, the sensor(s)can determine a suspected oral characteristic based on data from onebrushing session or from a plurality of brushing sessions. Further, theabove characteristics can alternatively be determined by querying theuser, rather than by using brushing session data provided by sensors.

In a further operation, a suggested brushing routine is determined basedat least in part on the oral characteristic data (operation 204). Thesuggested brushing routine can be any one or more steps or instructionsfor brushing teeth. The determination of the suggested brushing routinemay be achieved in any number of ways. In certain embodiments, thesuggested brushing routine may be determined by presenting the user witha list of potential brushing routines that accord with the determinedoral characteristic, and having the user select the suggested brushingroutine from among the list of potential brushing routines. In certainembodiments, the suggested brushing routine may be determined byadjusting a standardized brushing routine based on the oralcharacteristic data, or by adjusting a time based on the oralcharacteristic data, as described below. In certain embodiments, thesuggested brushing routine may be determined by selecting apredetermined brushing routine based on the oral characteristic data andthen adjusting the predetermined brushing routine based on a userbrushing history. In such embodiments, the user brushing history may bebased upon brushing session data collected from previous brushingsessions of the user. Such brushing session data may be based upon brushstroke, brushing aggressiveness, or upon any other measure of brushingeffectiveness. In addition, such brushing session data may be saved inthe memory 171 of the data processing unit 105 or in a memory of theserver 107. In still other embodiments, one or more of theaforementioned processes for determining the suggested brushing routinemay be used in combination.

In one embodiment, the suggested brushing routine is determined byadjusting an optimum brushing time based on the oral characteristic datato determine the brushing time for the suggested brushing routine. Inthis embodiment, the optimum brushing time is predetermined from astandardized brushing routine. The standardized brushing routine may bean industry standard brushing routine in which the optimum brushing timeis 2 minutes. This process can begin with the oral characteristic databeing received by the data processing unit 105. Next, the dataprocessing unit 105 determines an offset time based on the oralcharacteristic data. For example, if a certain portion of the dentitureis sensitive, then the offset time for this portion may be a negativenumber. Following the offset time determination, the target brushingtime for the brushing routine is calculated. As part of this step, theprogrammable processor 169 of the data processing unit 105 calculatesthe target brushing time by retrieving an optimum time which is storedin the memory 171 and adding the determined offset time to the optimumtime. The determined target brushing time can then be displayed, and theuser can be instructed to begin the suggested brushing routine. Incertain embodiments, the processor 169 of the data processing unit 105may provide other specific instructions for the brushing routine, suchas the order for brushing different sections of the user's dentiture,the length of time to brush each section, which section to start with,the brushing motions to use for each section, and the like. When thebrushing time has expired, the programmable processor 169 of the dataprocessing unit 105 can instruct the user that the brushing routine isat an end.

In the exemplified embodiment, after determining the suggested brushingroutine, there can be a determination of a brushing evaluation based onthe oral characteristic data (operation 206). As will be discussed infurther detail below, the oral care system 101 can be configured toperform a brushing evaluation of a brushing session of a user. Thebrushing evaluation can be any assessment of the effectiveness of one ormore brushing sessions. For example, as discussed in FIGS. 8-10, thetoothbrush 103 can include sensors, and data derived from the sensorscan be used to determine the motion, location, and/or pressure of thetoothbrush. From this determination, the system 101 can determine howwell the user brushed his or her teeth. In the exemplified embodiment,the evaluation is based in part on the oral characteristic data. Thus,for example, while a brushing evaluation would typically provide anegative evaluation when a certain portion of the dentiture was onlybrushed for ten seconds or with light pressure, the brushing evaluationaccording to the invention need not be negative if the user indicatedthat this was a sensitive portion of the dentiture. Accordingly, theuser is not penalized in his brushing evaluation for dedicating lessbrushing time (or applying softer pressure) to a sensitive area of hisdentiture. Thus, in certain embodiments, the determination of thebrushing evaluation is based on both oral characteristic data andbrushing data from a brushing session, the brushing data being derivedfrom a sensor forming part of the toothbrush. Further, the brushingevaluation can be based on a comparison of the brushing data from thebrushing session and the suggested brushing routine. For example, thebrushing evaluation can be based on how well the user followed thesuggested brushing routine.

The oral characteristic data can impact an evaluation of an individualbrushing session, and can also impact an evaluation of a plurality ofbrushing sessions. Thus, while a recent wisdom tooth removal surgerywill justify less and more gentle brushing of the molars for a fewweeks, there is an expectation that eventually the brushing time andintensity will increase. A cumulative evaluation can reflect this. Thecumulative evaluation will not penalize the user for gentle brushingimmediately after the surgery, but will also expect more normal brushingto return eventually.

In the exemplified method 200, the oral characteristic data is used toboth determine a suggested brushing routine and determine a brushingevaluation. It is noted, however, that in other embodiments the oralcharacteristic data can be used to determine a suggested brushingroutine but not to determine a brushing evaluation, or to determine abrushing evaluation but not to determine a suggested brushing routine.

The following are some examples of determined oral characteristics, andresulting brushing routines and/or evaluations. In one example, if thereis a determination that a portion of the dentiture is sensitive, asuggested routine can recommend less time brushing the sensitiveportion. Further, an evaluation can expect less time brushing thisportion of the dentiture.

In another example, if there is a determination of an oralcharacteristic that warrants excessive brushing of a portion of thedentiture (e.g., a tooth structure that traps plaque or food, such asmolars that tend to cause cavities, or a crooked or hidden tooth), asuggested brushing routine can dedicate additional time to this portionof the dentiture. Further, an evaluation can expect additional timebrushing this portion of the dentiture.

In another example, if there is a determination that a unique oralcharacteristic warrants a unique brushing motion (e.g., a hidden,crooked, or missing tooth), a suggested routine can adjust itsinstructions to allow adequate brushing of these unique oralcharacteristics, including recommending the unique brushing motion.Further, an evaluation can allow for or expect these unique brushingmotions.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrates a data processing unit 105 having a userinterface 175 for determining an oral characteristic according to oneembodiment. In FIG. 3A, the user interface 175 provides a question 302and answer options 304 regarding an oral characteristic. Here, the userinputs the oral characteristic through a user interface 175 that is atouch-sensitive screen, though alternative types of user interfaces canbe utilized. In this embodiment, the user indicates that he hassensitive teeth. In FIG. 3B, a statement 30 is provided that isresponsive to the answer 304. The statement 306 asks the user whichportion of the user's teeth are sensitive. A visualization of thedentiture 310 is provided. Here, the user provides a response 308indicating that the back molars are sensitive. The questions, answers,statements, and responses shown are merely exemplary in nature, and anyoral characteristics can be the subject of a question, answer,statement, or response on a user interface for the purposes of receivingoral characteristic data. In other embodiments, a user can type an oralcharacteristic and be provided with options that corresponded with thetyped oral characteristic. In other embodiments, a series of questions,statements, or topics can be provided to the user by the user interface.For example, the user interface can be used to determine several oralcharacteristics of the user and in varying degrees of detail.

FIG. 4 illustrates a toothbrush 103B comprising a user interface 175Baccording to another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,the toothbrush 103B comprises a user interface 175B and a programmableprocessor (not shown) similar to programmable processor 169 that formspart of data processing unit 105. The user interface 175B comprisesbuttons 303B for use in providing or selecting an oral characteristic.The exemplified user interface 175B further comprises a display. Thedisplay can provide information similar to the information displayed onthe touch-sensitive display 175. For example, the display can provideinformation regarding a suggested brushing routine, or brushingevaluation information. In other embodiments, the display can have morelimited functionality. In other embodiments, the display can be omitted.In this case, the user can indicate his oral characteristic using thebuttons (or another user interface), but the determined routine orevaluation can appear elsewhere, such as on a separate data processingunit. Further, the toothbrush 103B can be any type of toothbrush,including a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush having anelectrically-powered vibratory element.

FIG. 5 illustrates a data processing unit 105 having a user interface175 that provides brushing instructions 510 for a brushing routineaccording to one embodiment, the instructions 510 being based in part onthe oral characteristic received. In this embodiment, the brushinginstructions 510 comprise real-time directions for a user to followduring a brushing session. The instructions 510 comprise an indication514 of a region of the dentiture to brush, an indication 512 of abrushing motion, and an indication 516 of a time remaining for brushingthe specified region. In this embodiment, the user interface 175 alsoprovides an indication 518 of the total brushing time remaining in thesuggested brushing routine. In this embodiment, different screens mayshow different instructions as the user progresses through the differentstages of the brushing routine, thus coaching the user on which regionsto brush, which brushing motions to use, and for how long. In otherembodiments, certain indications or instructions can be omitted. Also,other indications or instructions can be added, such as an indication ofwhether to apply greater or lesser pressure or brushing intensity. Theinstructions (such as motion, region, and time) can be based at least inpart on the oral characteristic of the user. Thus, for example, if afirst portion of the user's dentiture was sensitive (or was adjacent toa receding gum line, or included a sensitive eroded tooth), the routinecould reflect this by decreasing the brushing time suggested for thisfirst portion of the dentiture, and/or by changing the brushing motionssuggested for this portion of the dentiture. Further, if an oralcharacteristic is a tooth structure that traps plaque, the routine canreflect this by increasing the brushing time for the portion of thedentiture having this tooth structure, and/or by changing the brushingmotions suggested for this portion of the dentiture. An evaluation ofthe brushing session can also reflect such adjusted expectations.

The suggested brushing routine can be determined by adjusting apreexisting brushing routine, the adjustment based at least in part onthe oral characteristic data. In other embodiments, the suggestedbrushing routine need not rely on a preexisting brushing routine. Thebrushing routine of the exemplified embodiment is provided in real-time,so that the user can follow a succession of instructions provided on theuser interface 175. In other embodiments, the entire routine can beprovided at once, and can be provided by other means, such as an emailor a text message.

FIG. 6 illustrates a data processing unit 105 having a user interface175 that provides an evaluation 520 of a brushing session of a useraccording to an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, theevaluation 520 comprises a visualization 521 of the user's dentiture.The dentiture can be divided into different regions, each of which theuser is expected to brush during the brushing session. Brushing sessiondata may be collected and processed according to the different regionsof the dentiture. The collection of such brushing session data isdescribed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 8-10.

In the exemplified embodiment, the visualization 521 includes anindication 522 of a region of the dentiture not properly brushed. Theevaluation 520 further comprises a recommendation 526 that provides theuser advice on how to improve his or her brushing. The evaluation 520also includes a performance metric 524 that indicates how well the userperformed in brushing his or her teeth during the brushing session. Inother embodiments, other metrics or visualizations can be used toindicate brushing performance, such as a percentage, or a number ofstars (for example, three stars out of five). Further, as discussedabove, in other embodiments, the evaluation can be a cumulativeevaluation based on a plurality of brushing sessions and oralcharacteristic data from those brushing sessions.

FIG. 7 illustrates an electronic toothbrush 281 according to anembodiment of the invention. The electric toothbrush 281 includes ahandle 283 and a refill head 285. In certain embodiments, the handle 283and the refill head 285 are removably coupled to each other. In certainembodiments of electric toothbrushes, the control circuit 165 of thedata processing unit 105 may reside at least partially within the handle283. Alternatively, the handle 283 may include a separate toothbrushcontrol circuit which controls the electric toothbrush and communicateswith the data processing unit 105.

In this embodiment, the refill head 285 includes a bristle field 287which includes at least one elastomeric element 289 and a tongue cleaner291 on the back side 292 of the refill head 285. Also in thisembodiment, shown schematically, the handle includes a motor 294operably coupled to a shaft 295, with an eccentric mass 297 positionedat the distal end of the shaft 295. In combination, the motor 294, theshaft 295, and the eccentric mass 297 form an electrically-poweredvibratory element.

FIG. 8 illustrates a partial sectional view of a toothbrush 351 havingelectronic circuitry for collecting brushing session data according toan embodiment of the invention. The handle 343 of the toothbrush 341forms a housing for containing electronic circuitry 351 for collectingbrushing session data. The handle 343 is a hollow structure in which acavity 345 is formed. The electronic circuitry 351, which includes apower source 352, is located within the cavity. The electronic circuitry351 may be used to collect and analyze brushing session data from whichan evaluation of the brushing session may be made. In certainembodiments, the evaluation of the brushing session may be based atleast in part upon the oral characteristic data. As discussed above, thebrushing session data can also be used to determine an oralcharacteristic.

FIG. 9 is a schematic of the electronic circuitry 351 of the toothbrush341 of FIG. 8. The electronic circuitry 351 includes a processor 353communicably coupled to sensors 355, a memory 357, and a communicationmodule 359. The number of sensors 355 included as part of the electroniccircuitry 351 depends upon the type of brushing session data to bedetected and the functionality of each type of sensor employed. Thebrushing session data that is detected and collected may include dataregarding position, motion, acceleration, frequency, and pressureagainst the surface of the teeth. Other types of brushing session dataassociated with a brushing session may also be detected and collected,and those listed herein are not to be limiting of the invention unlessotherwise indicated in the claims. In certain embodiments, only onesensor 355 may be included as part of the electronic circuitry 351, andin other embodiments, two or more sensors 355 may be included. By way ofexample, the at least one sensor 355 may be any one or more of thefollowing: a 3-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, apressure sensor, among other types of sensors. In general, each sensor355 included as part of the electronic circuitry 351 generates at leastpart of the brushing session data. For purposes of the presentdisclosure, the term “brushing session data” is any type of informationwhich may be extracted or derived from a sensor or sensor signal,regardless of the form of the extracted information, for determininginformation about a brushing session of a user. By way of example,brushing session data may be in the form of mathematical data (such as aformula which mathematically represents at least part of the sensorsignal), analog data (such as the waveform of the sensor signal), and/ordigital data (such as a representation of at least part of the sensorsignal in a digital format). In certain embodiments, the processor 353and the memory 357 may be omitted from the electronic circuitry 351 ofthe toothbrush 341. In such embodiments, the sensors 355 may communicatebrushing session data directly to the communication module fortransmission.

The memory 357 may be any appropriate type of memory or storage whichenables the processor 353 to perform the desired programming, such asvolatile and/or non-volatile random access memory, or any other type ofstorage. The particular type of storage used for the memory 357 is notto be limiting of the invention. The communication module 359 in theexemplary embodiment includes an antenna 361 to enable wirelesscommunication. The communication module 359 may be configured and/orprogrammed to communicate using a wireless technology standard such asWi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and the like, or it may communicate using any type ofproprietary wireless transmission protocol. In certain embodiments, thecommunication module 359 may include a port to enable communicationsusing wires and wired protocols, such as USB and the like. Theparticular mode of communication used by the communication module is notlimiting of the invention unless specifically set forth in a claim.

FIG. 10 illustrates a toothbrush dongle 391 for collecting brushingsession data. Generally, the toothbrush 381 includes a handle 383 and ahead 385 to which a plurality of teeth cleaning elements 387 areaffixed. The dongle 391 may be removably affixed to the proximal end 389of the handle 383. The dongle 391 comprises a housing for containingelectronic circuitry 393 and an associated a power source 395, which maybe similar to that described above in connection with FIG. 9.

The brushing session data which is detected and collected by thetoothbrush embodiments shown in FIGS. 8-10 may include a side-to-sidelinear brush stroke motion, an up and down linear brush stroke motion, acircular brush stroke motion, a flicking brush stroke motion, a brushstroke rate, and a pressure of the head of the toothbrush on the teeth,amongst others. During use, the brushing session data is generatedduring at least a portion of the brushing session. The brushing sessiondata may be used to evaluate the brushing session by calculating one ormore performance metrics, and the performance metric may representbrushing efficacy during one or more portions of the brushing session.The performance metric may express the efficacy of a brushing session,or even for portions of a brushing session, as a single number, andstored in the memory 171 of the data processing unit 105 for later use.In certain embodiments, the data processing device 105 may transmit thecalculated performance metrics to the server 107 for storage and oradditional analysis.

In certain embodiments, the performance metrics which are stored in thememory 171 of the data processing unit 105 or on the server 107 may beused during future brushing sessions to aid in determining what brushingroutine to suggest to the user. For example, performance metrics may beused in combination with the oral characteristic data to help determinethe target brushing time for a brushing routine. Also, in embodiments inwhich performance metrics are stored, the performance metrics may beanalyzed by machine learning processes, and the machine learning may beused to enhance future brushing routines.

The embodiments above discuss using oral characteristic data todetermine a brushing routine and/or evaluation. Note that the routine orevaluation can also be based on other factors, such as predeterminedbrushing standards (e.g., two minutes of total brushing time andrecommended brushing motions for different portions of the dentiture),physical characteristics of the brush being used by the user (e.g., softor hard bristles, or the shape and/or size of the toothbrush head), andthe user's brushing goals for a given brushing session (e.g., a quickfresh as opposed to a deep clean).

In certain embodiments, the user can use the data processing unit whilebrushing his teeth to receive real-time instructions for the brushingroutine. In such instances, the brush and the data processing unit canbe in communication. In other instances, the brush can be used withoutthe data processing unit, and/or without a processor immediatelydetermining a brushing routine or evaluation. For example, the brush canstore brushing session data locally in the toothbrush, and this data canbe retrieved at a later time. This stored brushing session data cansubsequently be used for providing a brushing evaluation or suggestedbrushing routine, and/or for suggesting potential oral characteristics.

The disclosed embodiments provide several advantages. For example, thesystem can provide a brushing routine that takes into consideration theunique oral characteristics of the user. Thus, the brushing routineprovided can reflect oral characteristics of the user, rather thanproviding the same standard routine regardless of the user. Further, thesystem can provide a brushing evaluation that takes into considerationthe oral characteristics of the user. Thus, an evaluation can be basedon the user's unique oral characteristics, rather than judging thebrushing session based on an unadaptable, one-size-fits-all standard.For example, if a user has a first portion of the dentiture that issensitive and is adjacent to a receding gum line, the suggested routinecan dedicate less brushing time to this first portion, and can avoidpenalizing the user for spending less than a standard time brushing thisportion. Alternatively, if a user still has his or her wisdom teeth, thesuggested routine can dedicate more time to the back molars, and theevaluation can expect that the user's brushing motion reaches furtherback in the oral cavity when brushing the back molars.

As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each andevery value that is within the range. Any value within the range can beselected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references citedherein are hereby incorporated by referenced in their entireties. In theevent of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and thatof a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

While the invention or inventions have been described with respect tospecific examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that thereare numerous variations and permutations of the above describedinvention(s). It is to be understood that other embodiments may beutilized and structural and functional modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention(s). Thus, the spiritand scope should be construed broadly as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oral care system comprising: a toothbrushcomprising a sensor configured to generate brushing data during abrushing session of a user, the sensor comprising at least one of anaccelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer, and the brushing dataindicative of at least one of a motion, a position, or a frequency thetoothbrush during the brushing session; a user interface configured toreceive oral characteristic data from the user; a programmable processorcoupled to the user interface, the programmable processor configured to:receive the brushing data from the sensor; receive, from the userinterface, the oral characteristic data indicative of an oralcharacteristic of the user, the oral characteristic being a physical,chemical, or biological trait of an oral cavity of the user; anddetermine for the user, based at least in part on the oralcharacteristic data and the brushing data from the sensor, at least oneof a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushingsession; wherein the oral characteristic is present in or adjacent to afirst portion of the dentiture; and wherein the brushing evaluation orbrushing routine is based on or includes at least one of: an alteredtarget brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture; and amodified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of thedentiture.
 2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the programmableprocesser is configured to both determine the suggested brushing routineand determine the brushing evaluation for the brushing session.
 3. Thesystem as in claim 1 wherein the receiving of the oral characteristicdata comprises: presenting to the user, by the user interface, one ormore questions or statements concerning at least one oral characteristicof the user; and receiving the oral characteristic data as answers orresponses to the one or more questions or statements, the answers orresponses being selected by the user using the user interface.
 4. Thesystem as in claim 1 wherein: the oral characteristic is an abnormalityof the dentiture; and the oral characteristic data generated by thesensor is indicative of a brushing motion associated with theabnormality of the dentiture.
 5. The system as in claim 1 wherein theoral characteristic pertains to at least one of an oral sensitivity, anabnormality of the dentiture, a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, an extratooth, a receding gum line, a tooth structure that traps plaque, plaquepresent at a first portion of the dentiture, a cavity, an erosion of oneor more teeth, an oral injury or procedure, a type of bacteria presentin the mouth, and an oral disease or malady.
 6. The system as in claim 1wherein: the oral characteristic is an oral sensitivity, a receding gumline, or an erosion of one or more teeth; and the brushing evaluation orbrushing routine is based on or includes a decreased target brushingtime for the first portion of the dentiture.
 7. The system as in claim 1wherein: the oral characteristic is a tooth structure that traps plaqueat a first portion of the dentiture of the user; and the brushingevaluation or brushing routine is based on or includes an increasedtarget brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture.
 8. Thesystem as in claim 1 wherein a user interface is configured to displaybrushing instructions based on the suggested brushing routine, thebrushing instructions comprising real-time directions for a user tofollow during a brushing session.
 9. The system as in claim 1 furthercomprising a data processing unit, the data processing unit comprisingthe programmable processor.
 10. An oral care method comprising:generating, via a sensor, brushing data during a brushing session of auser, the sensor comprising at least one of an accelerometer, agyroscope, a magnetometer, or a pressure sensor, and the brushing dataindicative of at least one of a motion, a position, a frequency, or apressure of the toothbrush during the brushing session; receiving, via auser interface, oral characteristic data indicative of an oralcharacteristic of the user, the oral characteristic being a physical,chemical, or biological trait of an oral cavity of the user; anddetermining for the user, by a programmable processor, based at least inpart on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data, at least oneof a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushingsession; wherein the oral characteristic is present in or adjacent to afirst portion of the dentiture; and wherein the brushing evaluation orbrushing routine is based on or includes at least one of: an alteredtarget brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture; and amodified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of thedentiture.
 11. The method as in claim 10 wherein the receiving of theoral characteristic data comprises: presenting to the user, via the userinterface, one or more questions or statements concerning at least oneoral characteristic of the user; and receiving the oral characteristicdata as answers or responses to the one or more questions or statements,the answers or responses being selected by the user using the userinterface.
 12. The method as in claim 10 wherein the oral characteristicpertains to at least one of an oral sensitivity, an abnormality of thedentiture, a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, an extra tooth, a recedinggum line, a tooth structure that traps plaque, plaque present at a firstportion of the dentiture, a cavity, an erosion of one or more teeth, anoral injury or procedure, a type of bacteria present in the mouth, andan oral disease or malady.
 13. The method as in claim 10 wherein theuser interface displays brushing instructions based on the suggestedbrushing routine, the brushing instructions comprising real-timedirections for a user to follow during a brushing session.
 14. An oralcare system comprising: a toothbrush comprising a sensor configured togenerate brushing data during a brushing session of a user, the sensorcomprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, amagnetometer, or a pressure sensor, and the brushing data indicative ofat least one of a motion, a position, a frequency, or a pressure of thetoothbrush during the brushing session; and a data processing unitcomprising: a user interface configured to receive an oralcharacteristic from the user; and a programmable processor configuredto: receive oral characteristic data indicative of the oralcharacteristic received by the user interface, the oral characteristicbeing a physical, chemical, or biological trait of an oral cavity of theuser; determine for the user, based at least in part on the oralcharacteristic data and the brushing data from the sensor, a suggestedbrushing routine; and determine for the user, based at least in part onthe oral characteristic data and the brushing data from the sensor, abrushing evaluation for a brushing session; wherein the oralcharacteristic is present in or adjacent to a first portion of thedentiture; and wherein the brushing evaluation or brushing routine isbased on or includes at least one of: an altered target brushing timefor the first portion of the dentiture; and a modified brushing motionexpectation for the first portion of the dentiture.
 15. The system as inclaim 14 wherein the receiving of the oral characteristic datacomprises: presenting to a user, by the user interface, one or morequestions or statements concerning at least one oral characteristic ofthe user; and receiving the oral characteristic data as answers orresponses to the one or more questions or statements, the answers orresponses being selected by the user using the user interface.